


indecipherable

by kontent



Series: June 2019 [10]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Pre-Slash, Reconciliation, Secret Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-10
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2020-05-02 07:30:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19194445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kontent/pseuds/kontent
Summary: “Look, Sweet Pea… I wanted to apologize if I hurt your or anyone’s feelings. That really was not my intention.” Before, Jughead wasn’t sure if he would apologize, but while he is saying it, he realizes it’s true. He didn’t mean to hurt them - he really thought it was a good idea to run with Betty.





	indecipherable

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SnowFlakeWrites](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowFlakeWrites/gifts).



> I realised that the plot surrounding this is utter trash and I, therefore, abandoned canon for the sake of this fanfiction and my sanity.  
> This is a direct continuation of [incomprehensible](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17354777/chapters/40834100). I promised to write a sequel like, six months ago.

Sweet Pea’s facial expression is stuck in Jughead’s head. The look of pain and anger is etched into his memory and if this was just about the run for Student Body President, maybe Jughead could forget about it. But it clearly isn’t about that, and Jughead has always been too noisy for his own good.

So that’s why he is walking through the cold night, looking for the trailer Sweet Pea and Fangs live in. He’s never been there before, but Toni had reluctantly told him their number. She had told him to apologize as well, but Jughead had only given a non-committal answer. Toni had sighed and told him to go easy on Sweet Pea then. Before Jughead could have asked what she was talking about, she had ended their call.

It had only made Jughead more curious, which was why he was knocking against their door with little hesitation. Their trailer was smaller than the one Jughead and his dad lived in, but the outside looked just as battered and used.

He heard voices inside, but he couldn’t make out the words. Then there were steps inside, and suddenly he felt nervous. He shoved his hands into his jacket, realizing he might stand out in the cold for a little while longer. The door swung open, and Fang peeked his head out, looking suspicious. His face went through different emotions when he saw Jughead - relief, confusion, suspicion. “Jughead. What are you doing here?”

Jughead shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed. “Our talk at school had me thinking. And... I wanted to talk to Sweet Pea about it?” It comes out as a question and Fangs raises his eyebrows. “Good luck with that, man.”

He turns his head around and calls for Sweet Pea. Jughead can hear the other boy grumbling, but there are steps somewhere and suddenly Sweet Pea is looking over Fangs’ shoulder. His facial expression looks a little pained before it goes straight to annoyance, and Jughead feels both guilty and curious.

“What do you want, Jones?” Fangs shoots Jughead a look that says something along the lines of _‘I told you’_ before he heads back inside and leaves them at the door.

To get inside the trailer, one would have to take the two steps on the stair, but Jughead doesn’t. Sweet Pea doesn’t look like he’d let him in any way - but that means Sweet Pea is now even taller than Jughead, and the boy can already feel the strain in his neck.

“Look, Sweet Pea… I wanted to apologize if I hurt your or anyone’s feelings. That really was not my intention.” Before, Jughead wasn’t sure if he would apologize, but while he is saying it, he realizes it’s true. He didn’t mean to hurt them - he really thought it was a good idea to run with Betty.

Sweet Pea seems to see that he’s being honest, and huffs. He doesn’t look pleased, but a lot of his aggression fades away. “Whatever, Jones. Is that why you came here in the middle of the night? You could have just told me tomorrow.” Jughead isn’t sure but he thinks Sweet Pea is almost smiling.

“Actually, no. There’s something else.” Sweet Pea raises his eyebrows, and the gesture reminds him so much of Fangs that Jughead has to think about the article he read on how people copy behaviour from their family and friends, causing them to be visibly related even when they look nothing alike.

“I get why you were mad at me, I really do.” Jughead is somewhat aware that he has removed his hands from his pockets now and is gesturing with them. Sweet Pea is resting against the door, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He looks both amused and annoyed by Jughead’s words.

“And I get why you were hurt by what I said, so I’m very glad that we got to talk about this.” Sweet Pea is rolling his eyes at his ramblings. “Get to the point, Jones.”

Jughead hesitates and takes a deep breath. Watching Sweet Pea’s face carefully, he continues. “But I can’t shake the feeling that you were not quite honest about why you were so mad.” Sweet Pea goes still. Jughead would doubt he is still breathing if he wasn’t watching the other boy so closely.

“So you know, if I did something else to upset you, I’d rather have you tell me now? So maybe we can talk about it and fix it?”

His voice sounds hopeful, Jughead realizes - and that’s quite something by itself because it shows how far they’ve come. Sweet Pea is important to him - which is why it hurts him a little to see the bitter smile creep onto Sweet Pea’s face.

“You can’t fix this.”

Jughead waits for him to continue, but the taller boy doesn’t. Having no instinct for self-preservation whatsoever, Jughead presses on: “So there is something. C’mon, tell me. I don’t know what I did, I really don’t. So please help me out here?”

Sweet Pea rubs a hand across his face, unhappiness and irritation rolling off of him like waves. “You didn’t do anything! Okay? Just leave this alone, Jughead.”

Sweet Pea sounds exasperated, but there is a pleading note in it that makes Jughead hesitate. He nods slowly. “Okay.”

The relief ghosting over Sweet Pea’s face makes him want to find out so badly, but he needs to respect Sweet Pea’s boundaries. Even if it kills him.

“But if you need help later on, or someone to talk to… I’m around, okay?” Sweet Pea looks torn between various emotions Jughead can’t define, but he nods. “I know. Thank you.”

It sounds weird coming out of Sweet Pea’s mouth and Jughead’s surprise must have shown on his face. The other boy rolls his eyes at him. “Oh, fuck off. I can be nice if I want to.”

It makes Jughead grin at him. “Liar. You’re going soft on me.”

Sweet Pea squints at him, his face showing his displeasure about Jughead’s observation. Jughead laughs at him. “Anyway. Glad we could talk about this.”

Sweet Pea rolls his eyes again, but he gives a silent nod. Jughead continues due to lack of words coming from Sweet Pea. “Well, I’m heading home again. I’ll see you at school.”

The taller serpent groans at that. “Fuck. Yeah, see you tomorrow.” He looks as if he just remembered they had to go to school, which is hilarious - it’s Wednesday. Jughead grins at him before he starts walking off. He feels a little better knowing they talked about this - but at the same time, he didn’t get the answers he was looking for. And apparently, he won’t ever - because he needs to keep this promise to Sweet Pea. The trust the boy is putting in him is fragile and Jughead doesn’t want to break it again. Even if he is curious about Sweet Pea’s secrets.


End file.
